diff --git a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
index 15f26e273..d38b69dd1 100644
--- a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
@@ -151,7 +151,13 @@ class IssuesController < ApplicationController
       return
     else
       respond_to do |format|
-        format.html { render :action => 'new' }
+        format.html {
+          if @issue.project.nil?
+            render_error :status => 422
+          else
+            render :action => 'new'
+          end
+        }
         format.api  { render_validation_errors(@issue) }
       end
     end
diff --git a/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb
index 70e74baa5..dc3bd4861 100644
--- a/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb
@@ -2218,7 +2218,7 @@ class IssuesControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
            :issue => {:project_id => 3,
                       :tracker_id => 2,
                       :subject => 'Foo'}
-      assert_response 403
+      assert_response 422
     end
   end